Photo courtesy Concrete Barrier Polyester concrete was used to overlay the Puyallup River Bridge on Interstate 5.

The Puyallup River Bridge Project was built under the scrutiny of a myriad of Western Washington motorists. The potential for impacts to the traveling public and the liability for the state Department of Transportation and the contractor were extremely high.

“Without question, the Puyallup River Bridge deck overlay project on southbound (Interstate 5) in Tacoma was the high-impact, high-risk project of 2003,” said Fred Tharp, WSDOT project engineer.

The project reportedly was the largest overlay in Washington using polyester concrete. The challenge for the contractor was ensuring the mixing equipment did not malfunction and result in hazardous waste spills.

Polyester concrete also sets up quickly, leaving little time for mistakes.

Concrete Barrier fabricated equipment for rapid mobilization and invested in back-up equipment, resulting in the project’s early completion.

Over 10,000 hours of labor was put into the project with no time-loss injuries or Labor and Industries infractions. Concrete Barrier exceeded project goals for a diverse workforce, with 38 percent minority and 14 percent female participation.